The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 21, 2025

Untitled

c. 1970

Ray Parker

(American, 1922–1990)
America
oil and acrylic on canvas
Unframed: 231.1 x 292.1 cm (91 x 115 in.)
Gift of Samuel M. Kootz 1972.89
Location: Not on view

Description

Like many other American artists, Ray Parker appreciated jazz. A trumpet player as well as a painter, he claimed that his approach to painting was an improvisational, musical one. Floating over large areas of contrasting color, his dynamic, eccentrically shaped forms activate the composition like sustained tones filling a quiet room. The large scale of Untitled recalls the vast open spaces of South Dakota, where the artist was born, while the bright, bold hues bring to mind the vibrant colorism of Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
  • Contemporary Art and Textiles Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 13-August 26, 1984).
    Year in Review: 1972. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 27-March 18, 1973).
  • {{cite web|title=Untitled|url=false|author=Ray Parker|year=c. 1970|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1972.89